Leading optical component vendors have formed a new LX4 Trade Group (LX4-TG) to promote interoperability and market awareness for the LX4 standard, which offers the ability to transmit 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) data over existing multi-mode fiber and single- mode fiber infrastructure. Members of the group include MergeOptics GmbH, Opnext, Quake Technologies and WaveSplitter Technologies.
LX4 technology is designed to support LAN, Access, Metro and Core applications over legacy multi-mode fiber that was originally installed to support 100 Megabit Ethernet, One Gigabit Ethernet or FDDI applications. Transmission distances are 300 meters over legacy multi-mode fiber, which is specified as a minimum modal bandwidth of 500MHz-km in the 1310nm window. LX4 modules from different vendors will interoperate, and a pluggable port format offers interchangeability via the front panel. In addition, pluggable LX4 technology enables a “Pay-as-You-Populate” cost structure during installation.
LX4 products in the XENPAK form factor are readily available from multiple vendors, with X2 modules expected in the near future. Each of the 10GBase-LX4 modules from the members of the LX4-TG conform to the highly versatile multi-wavelength transmission format specified within the IEEE 802.3ae standard for 10GbE, which was ratified in June 2002. http://www.emcore.comhttp://www.mergeoptics.com
- The 10GbE (IEEE 802.3ae) standard offers several ways to transmit data over different physical media. The term 10GBase-LX4 references a multi-wavelength approach to fiber optic transmission. The “10” stands for 10 Gigabits per second; “Base” means baseband communications; and “LX4” designates four optical wavelengths combined within the module and transmitted over fiber optic cable. Other 10GbE baseband interconnects include 10GBase-CX4, 10GBase-SR, 10GBase-LR and 10GBase-ER. These interconnects are usually offered in integrated modules that insert into XENPAK, X2 or other pluggable port slots, mounted on switches, routers, servers or storage systems.
